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In what can only be termed a back-handed compliment, Samsung was cleared of copying Apple iPad design because its Galaxy tablet computer was "not as cool."

The decision came from the British Court of Appeal Thursday which denied that Samsung's tablet infringed on Apple's patent, according to Reuters. A similar case in the United States also ruled the same way -- although a jury decided that patent infringement by Samsung occurred in components of the iPhone an iPad, design wasn't a part of it, the Guardian reported.

The British decision on Apple's appeal is valid throughout Europe and is likely to prohibit any further appeals.

"We continue to believe that Apple was not the first to design a tablet with a rectangular shape and rounded corners," Samsung said in a statement. Apple declined to comment.

As part of the decision, Apple must also run ads on its website and in newspapers announcing that Samsung did not copy its tablet designs.

While Samsung is still appealing its court decision to pay Apple $1 billion for patent infringement in the United States, it's unknown if this may affect any future decisions. The design of the Galaxy Tab has been deemed almost uniformly not a problem for Samsung, but its electronic components are more of an issue.